Vehicle.



No. 783,122. PATENTED FEB. 21, 1905. R. N. MARTZ.

VEHICLE.

APPLIOATIONIILED AUG. 25, 1904.

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PATENT-ED FEB. 21, 1905.

R. N. MARTZ.

VEHICLE.

1 APPLICATION FILED Amma. 1904.

2 BHEETB-BHEET 2.

1 QIN S mm Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT @rricit- RANDOLPH N. MARTZ, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND,

VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,122, dated February 21, 1905.

Application filed August 25, 1904. Serial No. 222,129.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RANDOLPH N.-MAR'1Z, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frederick, in the county of Frederick and State of M aryland, have invented a new and useful Vehicle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to that type of vehicles popularly termed eight:

wheel wagons and used for the purpose of transporting heavy objects, such as logs, timbers, metallic beams, and the like.

The object in the present case is to provide a novel structure of this character that will withstand enormous weight and the consequent draft strains necessary to move the same, the parts at the same time being constructed to permit the passage of the vehicle over rough and uneven ground without effecting the localization of abnormal or undue strains, thereby avoiding the racking of the structure and the transmission of shocks to the draft-animals.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and is described in the following specification.

An inspection of the claims hereto appended will show that the invention is not limited to the construction shown, but is open to various changes and modifications.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved vehicle. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through the front truck. Fig. 4 is 'a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the axles and the perches of one of the trucks. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the journal-plate of the front bolster. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view through the front axle of the rear truck, showing the connection of the reach therewith. Fig. 8 is a similar view through the front axle of the front truck, showing the connection of the tongue therewith.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

. In the embodiment illustrated front and rear four-wheeled trucks are employed, connccted by a reach, the front truck having a tongue attached thereto. As these two trucks are similar in all respects with the one exception of the mounting of the bolsters, but one will be described, the same reference-numer als being applied to corresponding parts of the other.

Spaced axles 9 are employed, having the I usual terminal spindles, upon which arejournaled wheels 10. The axles are connected by oppositely-tzmering independent perches, each perch consisting of convergentlydisposed side bars or legs 11, having their spaced ends rigidly secured, as shown at 12, to one of the axles and having their convergently-disposed ends located adjacent to the other axle. The said convergent ends of the legs of each perch are connected by a draft device in the form of a V-shaped plate 13, the arms 14 of which are bolted or otherwise secured, as shown at 15, to the legs 11, said plates overlying the axles 9 and having transversely-disposed slots 16. The plates project beyond the axles, forming eyes 17, the purpose of which is hereinafter explained. It is to be noted that the legs of the perches have intermediate offsets, so that they will not interfere with one another. A platform in the shape of an open frame is located over the perches and consists of transversely-disposed subbolster members 18, to the ends of which are bolted longitudinal side bars 19 and an intermediate simportingbar 20. The platform is connected to the substructure by means of king-bolts 21, passing through the supporting-bar 20, the subbolster members 18, through the slots 16 of the perch draft-plates, and through the axles 9. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and l, the openings through which the said king-bolts pass are preferably slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the bolts, so that the parts will have slight independent movements. For the purpose of preventing abnormal wear plates 22 are interposed between the axles 9 and between said draft-plates 13 of the bolster members 18. The front axle is provided with forwardly-projecting ears 23, having longitudinally-disposed slots 24:.

So far as thus described the two trucks correspond, and, as already stated, the only difference between them resides in the manner of mounting the bolster. The front truck is provided with a bolster 25, having a central pivot connection 26 with the supporting-bar 20 of the platform-frame. A wear-plate 27, mounted on said bar 20 and secured thereto by bolts 28, is located beneath the bolster and is borne upon by a wear-plate 29, secured to the bolster and having a depending boss 30 journaled in the wear-plate 27, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The rear truck is provided with a stationary bolster 31, the opposite end portions of which are bolted, as shown at 32, to the side bars 19 of the platform.

The trucks are connected by an extensible reach consisting of overlapping sections 33, the rearmost of which has a transverse bar 34: at its rear end. Stays 35, connected to said rear section, are secured to the cross-bar 34 and have rearwardly-eXtending ears 36, located between the forwardly-projecting ears 23 of the rear truck. A pivot-pin 37, passing through the cars 23 and 36, has a loose engagement in the former. due to its passage through the slots 24 thereof. The front end of the reach has a connection with the rearwardly-extending eye 17 of one of the perches of the front truck. Atongue 38 is provided at its rear end with .a cross-bar 39, and to said tongue and cross-bar are secured stays 40, disposed between the forwardly-projecting ears 23 of the front truck. A pivot-pin 42, passing through the ears, loosely passes through the slots 24 of the ears 23.

It will be apparent that a vehicle as thus constructed has great strength to support enormous weights transported thereby, the cross-bracing, due to the peculiar construction and relation of the perches and the platform, insuring the retention of the parts in proper relation. At the same time because of the oppositely-extending perches each having a movable engagement with one of the axles said axles may assume a limited angular relation with respect to each other not only in a horizontal plane, but also in a ver tical plane. Each wheel may thus pass over an obstruction and still divide the weight with the other three, thus avoiding the transmission of abnormal or undue strains to different parts and the localization of the same. The platform because of its loose connection with the perches and axles will permit the ready relative movement of the under gear, and said platform is also permitted to have a relative movement with respect to the bolster, due to the loose connections employed between the same. The front-truck connection of course turns with respect to the rear truck, and the rear end of the reach is permitted to have a limited relative movement with respect to the rear truck in order that said rear truck may have a comparatively free movement with relation to the front. truck and without imparting damaging strains to. the reach. In like manner the tongue is permitted to swing toa limited extent in a horizontal direction with respect to the front truck,

due to the slotted connection between said tongue and truck. Thus the jars and vibrations of the truck in passing over uneven ground are not imparted to the tongue, and consequently to the draft-animals.

From the foregoing it isthought that the construction, operation, and many advantages 1 i comprising spaced axles, a perch secured to both end portions of one axle and to an intermediate portion of the other axle, and another perch secured to both end portions of said other axle and to an intermediate portion of the first-mentioned axle, said perches being thereby disposed in' crossed relation between the axles.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, atruck comprising spaced axles, crossed perches each secured at separated points to one axle and having a connection with the other axle, a

platform extending over the perch and axles and secured thereto, and a cross-bolster mounted on the platform between the axles.

3. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed perches, each secured to both end portions of one axle and having a movable connection with an intermediate portion of the other axle, a platform extending over the perches and secured to the same and to the axle, and a bolster carried by the platform.

4. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed oppositely tapered perches, each perch comprising convergent legs having spaced ends secured to one axle and convergent ends movably attached to the other axle.

5. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed perches, each perch comprising convergent legs having spaced ends secured to one axle, and a draft device connecting the convergent ends of the legs and having a movable connection with the other axle. I

6. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed perches, each perch comprising convergent legs having spaced ends secured to one axle, and a substantially V-shaped draft-plate having its divergent arms secured to the legs of each perch and its free terminal connected to the other axle.

7. In. a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, and crossed perches connecting the axles, each perch being secured at one end to one axle and having a slidable connection with the other axle longitudinally thereof.

8. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed perches connecting the axles, each perch secured at one end to one axle and having a transverse slot at its other end, and bolts passing through the axles and the slots of the perches.

9. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, separate perches connecting the axles and tapering in opposite directions, said perches each comprising convergently-disposed legs having their spaced ends secured to one axle, a draft-plate connecting the convergent ends of the legs of each perch and having a transverse slot disposed longitudinally of the other axle, and king-bolts engaging the axles and loosely passing through the slots.

10. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed oppositely-tapering perches, each connected to one axle and associated with the other axle, a platform located over the perches, and bolsters carried by the platform.

11. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed oppositely-tapering perches having their wider ends each secured to one axle and having their narrow ends each associated with the other axle, a platform located over the perches, bolts extending through the platform, the axle, and the narrow ends of the perches, and a bolster carried by the platform.

12. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising spaced axles, crossed oppositely-tapering perches each connected to one axle and having tapered ends resting on the other axle and provided with a'transverselydisposed slot, a platform located over the perches and bearing upon the tapered ends thereof, king-bolts passing through the platform, the perches, and the axles, and a bolster carried by the platform.

13. In a vehicle of the class described, spaced trucks, each comprising spaced axles, separate oppositely-tapering perches connecting the axles and consisting of convergentlydisposed legs, the spaced ends of the legs of each perch being secured to one axle, draftplates connecting the convergent ends of the legs and bearing against the other axle, said plates being provided with transverselydis posed slots, a platform-frame located over the perches and bearing upon the draft-plates, king-bolts passing through the platform and slots of the draft-plates and engaging the axle, a bolster mounted on the platform, a reach connecting the trucks and having a movable engagement therewith, and a tongue connected to the front truck and having a loose play therewith.

14. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with spaced trucks, each having spaced axles, of wheels mounted on the axles, forwardly-projecting ears carried by the front truck and provided with slots, a pole, and a pivot-pin connecting the pole and ears and loosely passing through the slots of the latter.

15. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with spaced trucks, each having four wheels, of a tongue connected to the front truck, spaced ears projecting from the front of the rear truck and having slots, a reach having a pivotal connection with the front truck and having spaced ears coacting with the ears of the rear truck, and a pivot-pin connecting said ears and passing through the said slots thereof. 7

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RANDOLPH N. MARTZ.

Witnesses:

J. TRAVERS THoMAs, SAML. G. DUVALL. 

